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Appendix 1 Date: 29 July 2013 The researcher: Lucy (L) Participant: Penny Time: 20:00 pm Duration: 48 minutes L: This research topic aims at exploring Chinese and Japanese young female consumers’ luxury fashion purchase motivations. Generally, I would like to know why people at your age buy luxury fashion goods such as clothes, shoes, handbags, and accessories from brands like Prada, Chanel, Gucci, etc. You are free to say anything you want to say.

P: All right.

L: So, do you buy luxury fashion goods? Can you tell me some examples? Like…what brands, what categories…?

P: Er…yes, I have handbags from YSL, scarves from McQueen, shoes form Chanel, Balenciaga, Ferragamo, Tod’s, a card holder from Prada, and a necklace from Chanel.

P: And dresses from Belenciaga.

L: Ok. So, can you tell me your last purchase? Like when, where, and situations like you plan you buy or not?

P: A month ago, I bought a pair of shoes of Chanel in Shanghai. Well I planned to buy a pair of shoes from luxury brands before I went shopping, and when I shopped in the stores, I saw the shoes, and I like them very much. However, my size was out of stock by the first time I tried this pair. Then two weeks later, I went to the Chanel again, finding that they had my size, and then I bought it.

P: Kind of like planning to buy a pair of shoes and I wanted to have products from Chanel.

L: When you decided to buy things from Chanel, did you kind of treat the shoes from Chanel as a gift sending to yourself? Like for example, you worked really hard, you might want to reward yourself?

P: No, I did not think about that. For me, I needed shoes, I wanted to but stuff from Chanel. So when I went to shopping, I saw them, and decided to buy.

L: Ok. What does the word ‘luxury’ mean to you? Do you think what it is and what it is not?

P: For me personally, I buy luxury mainly for its quality, good looking, and a sense of design. Therefore, for me, I think luxury means taste and design. I can wear clothes from luxury brands longer, they look very nice.

P: Besides, I think the main differences between the luxury fashion products and normal products such as similar dresses and handbags are that they are of different qualities, and you could wear luxury dresses longer, and the sizes and shapes would always be the same, if you take good care if them.

L: What does your friends and family think about your purchasing luxury? Do most of your friends/family buy luxury fashion goods as well?

L: I mean, many of your friends buy luxury stuff, or just some of them?

P: Half of my friends would buy luxuries. Not all of them.

L: So when you buy some luxury goods, or that your friends buy some, will your guys discuss about that?

P: Well, if me or my friends buy luxuries and wear them out, we will certainly discuss about that. We would share information about the brands, if there are some discounts, if they look nice, something about that.

L: Do you have a favourite luxury fashion brand?

P: Chanel.

L: Can you describe why you like this brand?

P: I am also a huge fan for McQueen, a part from Chanel, it is my favourite brand, I appreciate the design of clothes, handbags, scarves and accessories. It is very beautiful and has a strong sense of personality. Although the prices of items from this brand are usually very high, I would still purchase.

L: How about Chanel? How do you view about it?

P: Well, I think Chanel represents noble and classical.

L: Would you considering wearing Chanel represents an attitude towards life? Or a taste? Like self-expressing?

L: For example, you consider Chanel as noble and classical, and these attributes are what you feel important to you.

P: Yes, kind of, but for me the most important thing is Chanel’s design, when I wear clothes or handbags from Chanel, I feels very confident.

L: Would you consider that wearing products from Chanel implies that this person is quite rich or has high status in society?

P: Yes, I would think so, if it is not fake. Products of Chanel are usually very expensive, if a person owns handbags or other stuff from Chanel, let’s say these products are not fake, I would consider that this person has high salaries, or she is from a rich family.

P: In Shanghai, more and more people have handbags from Chanel, but less people wear clothes from this brand, those clothes are really, really expensive. I think owning a Chanel handbag is not a big deal now, but if you are wearing a Chanel dress, I would think ‘oh she earns a lot’.

P: But many people today are wearing fake items, it’s really hard to tell.

L: You like Chanel and McQueen, how do you keep up with these brands? Will you discuss with your friends about the latest new arrivals?

P: Yes, one of my friends purchase luxury a lot, like crazy, she always updates the luxury news to me, and I am also interested in these.

L: Ok. For you, what are the differences between luxury fashion goods and normal products?

L: For example, products from these brands also have good quality; they also look nice, like Ted Baker?

P: I think the major differences are the quality and design. Many high street fashion brands would copy or design similar types of products from luxury brands. They may look similar, but when you wear them, there would be differences. Besides, I would get tired of a normal handbag in one year’s time, but luxury handbags could be used in a longer time period like 2 to 3 years. In addition, the prices would of course be quite different.

L: Some middle –upper brands also provide products with good quality and design, what are the differences between these products and the luxuries, except from prices?

P: Brand. Brand culture, brand history. New brands are less well-known and with shorter brand history. When one person buys things from normal or new brands, other people would not pay attention to her, because it is just a normal or new brand, not many people know the brand. Well-known luxury brands build their brand images for so many years, people trust these brands.

P: Besides, Branded products really have better designs.

L: In your personal view, what benefits or satisfaction come from buying and using luxury fashion products, for example, a Prada handbag, instead of a normal handbag?

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